1. Related Applications
The present invention is an improvement of my co-pending application Ser. No. 65,292 filed June 22, 1987 and entitled "A Picker-Stripper-Feeder For Envelope Feeding Apparatus."
2. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to continuous envelope feeders of the type adapted to be used in conjunction with printers or labelers which place information on the envelope. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel selection and feed apparatus for high speed extraction of a single envelope from a magazine or stack of envelopes without jamming or double feeding two envelopes.
3. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Class 271, Subclass 2 contains sheet feeding or delivering apparatus for delivering envelopes and contains patents dating before 1900 which teach envelope feeders. Prior art envelope feeders including my aforementioned application Ser. No. 65,292 have recognized that it is virtually impossible to stack envelopes horizontally, vertically or otherwise in a magazine and to be assured that a single envelope will be removed by prior art envelope feeders. This problem becomes more acute when the speed of the envelope feeder is increased. My co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 65,292 teaches a structure which picks, then strips and subsequently feeds a closed flap envelope into means for transferring the envelope to a utilization device. It has been found that two or all of the operations of picking, stripping and feeding can be combined into one continuous step cooperating with the transfer means so as to provide a simpler and faster envelope feeding apparatus as will be described in detail hereinafter.
It would be extremely desirable to provide an economical and predictably repeatable envelope feeder which is very small in size, has fewer parts, is cheaper to manufacture and service and is faster than envelope feeders known in the prior art in the same price range.